Alyssa was hell-bent on making sure that every dish Giselle tucked into tonight was handpicked by Ivy to drill into that uppity woman's head just how much clout Ivy had in the Howard family!
Ivy mulled it over, not the least bit stiff around Grandma, and suggested outright, "How about we go for a hearty soup? I heard Grandpa coughing the other day, so maybe a nice fish chowder will build him up. And for dessert, let's keep it light - a little apple and cinnamon compote for each of us would be perfect. Grandma, would that be okay?"
Alyssa could not help but beam with pride, watching Ivy being so thoughtful, putting her and the old man first.
"Of course, that's fine, darling. Knowing you're looking out for him like this, your grandpa would be over the moon."
A blush crept onto Ivy's cheeks, making her look all the more endearing. "Grandma, it's only right that I care for you and Grandpa!"
Alyssa's fondness for her granddaughter-in-law grew with each glance. "As long as you two are happy, your grandpa and I can rest easy when our time comes."
Ivy quickly clasped her hand. "Grandma, don't talk like that! Ptooey! Those are not the kind of words we should be saying!"
A sudden regret followed her act of anxiously spitting out the words. "Grandma, I didn't mean to be unhygienic..."
Alyssa's hearty laughter echoed from the kitchen. "You silly girl!"
Giselle heard it loud and clear in the living room.
That old lady always seemed so down-to-earth, but around her, she turned into a downright witch!
She craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the warmth she was missing, her smile almost frozen in place, while Balfour was still buried in that inscrutable paperwork.
"Balfour..." she began to shift in her seat, inching closer when Balfour abruptly stood up, showing his impatience with a tug at his tie. Giselle stood up, too, following his lead.
But Balfour cut her off coldly, "I need to jump on a video call for work, Giselle. You sit tight. Quinton, come with me to the study."
And with that, he was off.
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